Bucket-carrier.



N. BUTLER.

BUCKET CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED Mug, 1905.

PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

No. 805,342. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905. N. BUTLER.

BUCKET CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYQ, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Immw

Mrmizfizzilr UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BUCKET-CARRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed May 9, 1905- Serial No. 259,614.

1'0 on whom it may concerm Be it known that I, NORMAN BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meadowcreek, in the county of Madison and State of Montana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bucket-Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

I The invention relates to an improvement in a conveyer particularly designed for conveying ore or similar substances.

The main object of the invention is the production of a simple device constructed and arranged to readily support the traveling cable, the construction of the supporting-pulleys being such as to prevent the accidental disengagement of the conveyer-cable therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the production of a cable-driving drum, of peculiar sectional shape, adapted to tilt or deflect buckets supported by the cable.

The preferred form of the invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, illustrating my improved conveyer. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the discharge-drum. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the driving-drum arranged at the end of. the conveyer opposite the discharge-drum. Fig. 4 is a sectional view transverse of the conveyer immediately forward one of the pulley-frames. Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation illustrating one of the cable-pulleys. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the bucketsupporting frame. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same, illustrating the stop used, on the cable in connection with said frame.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate like parts th roughout the several views, my improved conveyer comprises an endless cable 1, passing around and supported at opposite ends of the conveyer by a driving-drum 2 and a dischargedrum 3. The driving-drum, comprising the usual metallic cylinder supported at its ends with bearings 4, is secured to a frame 5, the latter being pivotally connected at 6 to a base or support 7. A fixed frame 8 is arranged adjacent the frame 5 and is adjustably connected thereto th rough the medium of suitable lengths 9, terminally connected by a turnbuckle or other suitable connection 10, whereby said frame 5 may be moved toward or from the stationary frame 8 to adjust the cable 1 as desired. Intermediate its ends the drivingdrum 2 is provided with a depressed semicircular groove 11, forming projecting flangeguides 12, concentric with the surface of the drum and whereby a guide is provided to receive the cable and prevent its accidental disengagement from the driving-drum.

The discharge-drum comprises a cylinder supported in bearings 13, fixed to a suitable framework 1 1. The discharge-drum for a portion of its length comprises a true cylinder, as at 14;, terminally provided with a flanged semicircular guideway 15 to receive the cable 1. The remainder of the dischargedrum is of cone shape, as at 16, being of greatest diameter immediately adjacent the guideway 15 and decreasing in diameter toward the approximate bearing 13. By this construction the discharge-cylinder is partially cone-shaped to receive and dump the buckets supported by the cable, as hereinafter described. Intermediate the driving and discharge drum the cable is supported upon pulleys 17, supported in suitable framework comprising vertical bars 18, an upper crossbar 19, and a lower cross-bar 20, each of the cross-bars supporting a pulley to receive the upper and lower portions of the cable, respectively, in operation. To permit passage of the cable carrying the bucket-supporting frame, hereinafter noted, over said pulleys without interference, I construct each of said pulleys in two sections 21, each section being practicallyone-half of an ordinary pulley supported from a bracket 22, secured to the respective cross-bar by bolts 23. The pulleysections are maintained spaced apart, or sepa rated, to permit passage therebetween of the bucket-frame, hereinafter described, whereby interference with said buckets is prevented during passage of the cable over the pulley, it being understood that the space between the pulley-sections is not sufiicient to permit the passage of the cable therebetween, whereby said cable is maintained in the face-screws of said pulley-sections.

2 1 represents the bucket-frame comprising a transverse arm 25, provided with terminal bearing-lugs 26 to engage suitable openings in the bucket-walls 27. A narrow arm 28 extends vertically from the central point of the transverse arm 25, being provided at its upper end with a coupling 29, arranged to embrace and fixedly engage the cable. By preference the coupling 29 comprises two hinged sections, and the vertical arm 28 is connected in said hinged jaw, whereby the bucket-frame IIO has a swinging or hinged connection with the coupling. The vertical arm 28 is of such sectional dimension as to readily pass between the pulley-sections 21 of each of the supporting-pulleys, whereby the buckets 8 may depend vertically from the cable in operation and pass said supporting-pulleys Without interference.

If desired, stops 30 of any preferred circular form may be secured to the cable in front and rear of the coupling 29, whereby to prevent any accidental slipping of said coupling.

In operation the buckets passing lengthwise the conveyer through attachment of the cable will ride over the discharge-drum, being deflected to one side thereof and caused to engage the cone-sections 16 of the drum 3. By this operation the buckets are caused to swing'laterally through their hinged connection with the coupling 29, and owing to riding on the cone-shaped section of the discharge-drum the contents of the buckets are discharged.

The guides 11 and 15 of the respective drums, as well as the cooperative face-grooves in the pulley-sections, tend to effectually prevent accidental disengagement with the cable from these parts, while through the use of the spaced pulley-sectionsin conjunction with the vertical arm of the bucket-frame the buckets Will depend vertically from the cable during their travel from one drum to the other.

It is understood that of course any number of supporting pulleys and cooperating frames may be used and that the conveyer may be of any length desired.

The driving-drum 2 may be suitably operated to impart movement to the cable. and

through the adjusting member 10 the cable may be adjusted lengthwise to secure any necessary position thereof.

The construction described is simple and cheap in construction and thoroughly eiiicient and durable in use. I Wish it understood that I consider obvious changes from the specific details described as within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A conveyer comprising an endless cable, supporting-drums at the opposite ends of the conveyer, one of said drums being formed with a cone-shaped section to laterally deflect articles carried by the cable.

2. A conveyer comprising an endless cable, a drive-drum at one end of the conveyer, a discharge-drum at the opposite end of the conveyer, said discharge-drum comprising a coneshaped section, and buckets suspended from the cable.

3. A conveyer comprising an endless cable, buckets supported by said cable, a dischargedrum at one end of the conveyer and formed with a guideway to receive the cable,said drum having a cone-shaped section to deflect buckets laterally in their passage thereover.

4. A conveyer comprising an endless cable, buckets supported therefrom, end drums for the cable, one of said drums being formed with integral discharging means for the buckets, and pulleys intermediate said drum to support the cable, said pulleys comprising duplicate sections spaced apart to permit passage therebetween of the bucket-suspending means.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

M. B. ANGLE, A J HN A. EVANS. 

